Hydraulic egg turning mechanism



July 16, 1946..

J. F. HAMLIN HYDRAULIC EGG TURNING MECHANISM Filed Dec. 27, 1943 l III/l 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 lllll//l//l//l/ ll/ /l l//l/ f Efimzz INVENToR.

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Juy i6, 1946. J. F. Y'u-:IA'MLJN HYDRAULIC EGG TURNING MEGHANISM Filed Dec. 27, 1945` 2 Sheef-Sheet 2 ffy- @liz/Hamlin INVENToR.

Patentedl July 16, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT YOFFICE:

HYDRAULIC EGG TURNING MECHANISM' 'Jerry F. Hamlin, Mill .'Valley, Calif. Application December 27, 1943, Serial No. 5.1.5,742

1 Claim. (Cl. 74A-110) This invention relates to egg turning devices designed primarily for use in incubator construction of the battery type, wherein large numbers of eggs are incubated.

An object of the invention is to provide an egg turning means which will be automatic in its operation, and one which will turn a great number of eggs simultaneously with a single opery ation of an electrical switch, thereby reducing time and labor for turning the eggs in large incubators, to the minimum.

With the foregoing and other objects in View, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein described, may be made within the scope of what is claimed, Without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring to the drawings: Y 4 Figure 1 is a fragmental sectional view through an incubator, illustrating an egg turning mechanism, constructed in accordance with the invention, as mounted therein.

Figure 2 is a sectional View through the automatic valve that controls the release of the fluid used in operating the mechanism.

Figure 3 is a sectional View through one of the electrically controlled valves of the mechamsm.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the reference character 5 designates one end of an incubator cabinet in which the egg trays are supported.

The reference character 6 designates the channel lbars that have connection with the egg cradles 1, and which move to move the egg cradles in turning the eggs.

These channel bars are operated by reciprocating rods 8, that connect with the channel bars 6, through the bars 9. y

These rods 8 are formed with teeth I6, which teeth mesh with the gears II that in turn are secured to the shafts I2 that are horizontally dispOsed Within the cabinet. The shafts I2 are arranged one above the other, as shown by Figure 1 of the drawings.

Forked arms I3 are secured to the shafts I2, the forked ends of the arms extending to positions where they straddle vertical rods I4 of the turning mechanism.

The upper ends of the rods'I4-,are by the 'member I5 to which the rod I6 i's connected.

Formed on the rods I4, and disposed at opposite sides of the vertical rods I4, are enlargements I1 which are engaged by the forked ends of the arms I3, so that vertical movement of the rods I4, will act to swing the forked arms, predetermined distances.

Mounted at the upper end of the rod I6, is a piston I8 that moves within the cylinder I9.

The pipe indicated at 20 has one end thereof extending into one end of the cylinder I9, the opposite end thereof being connected with the supply pipe 2l, through the union 22. A pipe 23 extends into the opposite end of the cylinder I9, and also connects with the supply pipe 2|, through the union 22. Valves 24 are mounted within the pipes 2B and 23, and each of these valves includes a valve seat 25 and a valve member 26 which controls the flow of iluid through the pipe. A rod 21 forms a part of each of these valves, and a solenoid core 28 is mounted on the rod 21. The solenoid coil is indicated at 29 and is adapted to control the movements of the valve 26, to unseat the valve, when the coil is energized. It.` will of course be understood that the coil is supplied with electric energy from a Vsuitable source of supply not shown, and the current to the coil will be controlled by the usual electric switch not shown.

A coiled spring indicated at 30 is mounted on the valve rod, between the valve 26 and casing 3l that provides a support for the solenoid coil, the coiled springv acting to reseat the valve, after the electric current to the coil has been cut off.

A pipe indicated at 32 has one end thereof extending into one end of the cylinder I9, and connects with the outlet pipe 33, through the valve housing 34. A pipe 3'5 also connects with the valve housing 34 and communicates with the opposite end of the cylinder I9, as shown by Figure 1.

Mounted within the valve housing 34 is a valve rod 36 that carries valves 31 and 38 at its ends, the valves 31 and 38 adapted to seat at 39 to cut off the llow of fluid through the pipe 33. It might be stated that the rod 36 is of such a length that when one valve is closed,l the opposite valve is opened, as shown by Figure 2, and the movements of these valves are controlled by the-uid pressure, entering the pipes 32 and 35.

When it is desired to turn or shift the eggs,

during the incubating period, and assuming that closing the yto seep ,through the pipe Vopposite Valve 24 is operated course may be accomplished by 'a time clock not shown, or by a switch which is of the manually controlled type. The coil will act to retract the valve 26, opening the passageway and allowing uid `to enter under the piston I8. The fluid will also enter the pipe 35, contacting the valve 3'8,`

valve and simultaneously opening.y

the valve 37 upper side of the piston I8, moving tlfiefpiston`r downwardly and operating the rodsV 8 in the opposite directions. Y

A Since the rods 8.are connected with the chan# 4. nel bars 6, through the bars 9, the egg cradles 1, which are connected with the channel bars 6, and in which the eggs are positioned, will be movedto properly turn the eggs.

What is claimed is: I

An egg turning dew'ce for battery incubators, comprising a plurality of horizontal reciprocating rods adapted Vto operate egg cradles, teeth ,formed on the upper edges of the rods adjacent to one of the respective ends thereof, *spaced vertical rods, means for connecting the rods at their .upper ends, gears meshing with the teeth of the horizontal reciprocating rods, pairs of spaced enlargements secured on the vertical rods, forked arms movable with the gears and adapted to straddle the vertical rods between the enlargements of each pair, adjacent forked arms being connected to opposite vertical rods, and said arms adaptedto move the reciprocating rods in opposite directions.' Y

JERRY F.1VHAMLIN. 

